Terms and Conditions

Legal

By using MasterInChess.com, you agree to be bound by the current version of these Terms & Conditions. The terms may be updated periodically and continued use of the site constitutes acceptance of any changes.

Use of Material

All material on MasterInChess.com — including the MICOS Opening System, MICOS Codes, Opening Groups, Sub Groups, databases, text, graphics and tools — is protected by copyright law and is the property of MasterInChess.com.

Unauthorized use, reproduction, modification, or distribution of this material may violate copyright law and is strictly prohibited.

You may:

download chess games for private, non-commercial use
print limited materials for personal study, provided all copyright notices are preserved
use notation in the chess tools on this website for private analysis

Any commercial use, including integration into chess programs, apps, databases, or publications, requires explicit written permission from MasterInChess.com.

Linking to This Website & Use of This Website

You may link to any public page on MasterInChess.com, provided that:

the link does not obscure or misrepresent our content,
you do not frame any part of the site,
and you remove the link if requested by MasterInChess.com.

You may download chess games for private, informational use and you may print limited materials for non-commercial study, provided all copyright notices are preserved.

You may also enter chess notation and chess games into the analysis tools provided on this website for private use.

Please note:

Some photographs (for example, images of Garry Kasparov or other Grandmasters) may be protected by third-party copyright.
Chess books displayed on MasterInChess.com remain the copyright of their respective authors and publishers and may not be reproduced.

Any commercial use, redistribution, or reproduction of protected content requires explicit written permission from MasterInChess.com.

MICOS Software Copyright

The following proprietary software applications and tools are part of MICOS – Master In Chess Openings System or have been originally developed by Claus Gamborg for MasterInChess.com.

MICOS Applications

MICOS CAP – Chess Openings Trainer
MICOS GAP – Games Analysis Program
MICOS DB – Chess Database
MICOS TAC – Tactics Trainer
MICOS END – Endgame Trainer
MICOS SETUP – Chessboard Editor
MICOS PGN – Interactive PGN Viewer

Additional Proprietary Software

ELO Rating Calculator
While similar tools exist, the specific implementation on MasterInChess is uniquely designed and protected.

PGN → FEN Converter
Based on an original concept; the MasterInChess implementation, interface and logic are protected by copyright.

FEN → PGN Converter
A unique program exclusively developed by MasterInChess and protected as original software.

Chess Notation Translator
A proprietary program developed solely by MasterInChess and Claus Gamborg. All methods, logic and output handling are copyright-protected.

Copyright Protection

All source code, user interfaces, software architecture, functionality, design, algorithms, implementation, and related documentation are protected by copyright law.

Unauthorized copying, redistribution, modification, reverse engineering, commercial use, or incorporation of any part of the software into other products, websites, applications, databases, or services is prohibited without prior written permission from MasterInChess.com.

Copyright and Usage Notice — Chess Notation Translator

The Chess Notation Translator is a proprietary program developed solely by MasterInChess and Claus Gamborg. All rights are reserved.

Permitted Use

You may use the Chess Notation Translator for:

personal study
educational use
non-commercial purposes

Prohibited Use

Without explicit written permission from MasterInChess, you may not:

redistribute the program
integrate the program into apps, websites, or services
create competing or derivative tools
use the output or code for commercial purposes
reproduce or modify any part of the program

Unauthorized use, reproduction, or modification may result in legal action.

Proprietary Technology & Licensing Restrictions

The Chess Notation Translator — including all underlying algorithms, logic, processes and features — is proprietary technology owned by MasterInChess and Claus Gamborg.

Patent Status

Patent Pending: Efforts are underway to secure patent protection for the unique methods and functionality.

You May Not:

replicate or copy the technology
reverse-engineer, decompile, or analyze the underlying logic
build derivative or competing tools
integrate any part of the system into commercial products

This applies to all third parties, including but not limited to large chess platforms such as chess.com, lichess.org, or any competitor seeking to use or mimic MICOS technology.

MICOS™ is a proprietary chess openings system developed by MasterInChess.

The MasterInChess Openings System (MICOS) is a proprietary classification system developed by Claus Gamborg and protected by international copyright law.

Copyright © 2026 MasterInChess, Claus Gamborg. All Rights Reserved.
All textual content, classification structure, MICOS Opening Codes and the complete system layout are protected.

🔒 MICOS Copyright Protection

The MasterInChess Openings System (MICOS) is officially registered and protected by copyright.

Every MICOS Code, Opening Group and Sub Group is part of a structured and verified system — recognized as a modern classification alternative to the traditional ECO system.

Unauthorized reproduction, modification, or commercial use of MICOS — including the MICOS Codes, structure, grouping logic, or documentation — is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from MasterInChess.

MasterInChess Openings System – MICOS

📘 MICOS Opening Groups (2026 Edition)

This publication contains the complete MICOS Opening Group classification, including:

All 57 Opening Groups
All MICOS-coded openings
Complete hierarchical structure and opening descriptions
Logical move-order organization throughout the entire system

👉 MasterInChess Openings System – MICOS Opening Groups (2026 Edition)

📘 MICOS Sub Groups (2026 Edition)

This publication contains the complete MICOS Sub Group classification, including:

All 166 Sub Groups
Each Sub Group name and description
The exact MICOS code ranges defining every Sub Group
Clear hierarchy:
Main Opening Group → Opening Group → Sub Group → MICOS-coded openings

👉 MasterInChess Openings System – MICOS Sub Groups (2026 Edition)

⚖️ Use of MICOS-Coded Openings

Use of MICOS-coded openings — including, but not limited to, the following elements:

MICOS Opening Codes (e.g., A00.001, A00.001.IO, A00.002, A00.002.IO, …)
MICOS Opening Group labels (e.g., A00.IO, A01.NL, A03.BI)
MICOS Sub Group names defined by MICOS code ranges (e.g., King’s English A02.047.EN – A02.103.EN)
Named opening categories derived from the MICOS classification system

— requires proper attribution when used in PGN headers, chess software, databases, articles, or printed material.

✔️ Example of correct attribution in PGN

The first references to the specific MICOS coded opening.
[MICOS "A02.047.EN"]
The second references the MICOS Sub Group code range, not a Sub Group code.
[MICOS-Range "A02.047.EN – A02.103.EN"]

🚫 Prohibited use and misrepresentation

The following actions are strictly prohibited:

MICOS Codes must not be placed in fields labeled ECO.
MICOS Codes must not be represented, implied, or substituted as ECO codes.
MICOS Sub Groups must never be expressed as single codes; Sub Groups are always defined as code ranges.
MICOS Codes must not be misused, relabeled, or presented in a manner that may cause confusion with ECO or any other opening classification system.

Unauthorized use, mislabeling, or misrepresentation of MICOS in software, websites, databases, or printed publications may result in legal action.

🔗 Permissions and Fair Use

You may reference MICOS in non-commercial educational content, such as:

YouTube videos
Chess articles
Blog posts
Teaching material

But when doing so, you must:

Include the correct MICOS Code
Credit MasterInChess.com as the source

Commercial Use Requires Permission

Any use of MICOS in:

chess programs
mobile apps
commercial websites
databases
printed books

— requires explicit written permission from MasterInChess.

🖼️ Content Watermarking

All logos, graphics, diagrams and images produced by MasterInChess are protected by copyright.

Some books may include a watermark (for example: chesstouring.com, owned by MasterInChess) to help identify unauthorized duplication or use.

📚 Chess Books Disclaimer

The chess books shown on MasterInChess.com are provided through a licensed partnership with Scribd and are intended solely for personal educational use.

These books:

are not downloadable,
must not be redistributed and
remain the copyright property of their respective publishers.

Although certain browsers or devices may technically allow downloads, this is not permitted and may infringe copyright law.

By accessing these books, you agree to:

use them only for personal study,
not reproduce or distribute them,
respect all publisher copyright restrictions.

MasterInChess is not responsible for any unauthorized distribution or misuse performed by visitors.

🛡️ Disclaimer

The information and services provided on MasterInChess.com may contain typographical errors or technical inaccuracies. Information may be updated or changed at any time without notice. MasterInChess.com may also improve or modify its content, tools, or services without prior announcement.

MasterInChess.com is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies found on this website or on any external website referenced or linked from MasterInChess.com.

All information on MasterInChess.com is provided “as is”, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied — including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. MasterInChess.com makes no representation or warranty that the website will be available without interruption or free from errors, defects, or security breaches.

MasterInChess.com assumes no liability for any damages whatsoever, including — without limitation — indirect, special, consequential, punitive, or incidental damages, lost profits, loss of programs or data, or other losses arising out of or connected with:

the use or inability to use MasterInChess.com
reliance on any information or material contained on or accessed from MasterInChess.com

even if MasterInChess.com has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

⚖️ Jurisdiction

The materials on MasterInChess.com are presented for informational purposes and to promote MasterInChess.com’s products and services.

MasterInChess.com makes no representation that the content on this website complies with the laws of jurisdictions outside your country of residence. Individuals accessing the site from other countries do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

These Terms & Conditions shall be governed by the laws of your country of residence, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
You agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts in your country of residence for any legal disputes arising from or related to these Terms & Conditions.

🛒 Consumer Disclosure

If you order products or services online from MasterInChess.com:

You consent to enter into contracts electronically.
You acknowledge that you are entering a legally binding agreement.

If you register as a member, you must use your real full name and active email address.

If you do not agree to these terms, please discontinue your request.

💳 Financial Information

MasterInChess.com uses PayPal as a secure payment provider.
Payments may be made via PayPal or by credit card through PayPal’s secure encrypted connection (https).

MasterInChess.com does not receive or store your financial or credit card information.
We only have access to order details necessary for billing and product delivery.

📊 Online Surveys

We may occasionally request voluntary demographic information, such as postal code.
All survey responses are kept strictly confidential and used only for statistical purposes.

🔐 Security

We use security measures to protect the information you provide against loss, misuse and unauthorized alteration.

When you submit personal information (such as name, email address, or physical address), you are communicating through our secure server, which encrypts your data before transmission.

🔗 Links to Other Websites

As a resource, MasterInChess.com provides links to external websites that may be useful to visitors.
However, MasterInChess.com is not responsible for:

the content of linked websites
their privacy policies
their data practices or security measures

Users visit external links at their own discretion.

MasterInChess, 1. July 2026

If you have questions about these Terms & Conditions, you are welcome to contact us.